The Rules

Enjoy our short explanation video on the basic rules of Beer Die! If you want a more in depth explanation, or to understand different types of advanced plays, we have a full guide written out below. Remember, half the game is knowing how to win!

We know it looks like a lot, but once you start playing, it all makes sense!

FIRST TOSS

To decide which team tosses first, one person rolls a die, and the other team calls high or low. If the die is a 4, 5, or 6 that is high. If the die is a 1, 2, or 3 that is low. If they called it right, they are awarded first toss.

TO WIN:

Games are played up to 11 points, a beer is killed and filled for every 5 points scored. Games are also always won by 2. You CANNOT win a game on a FIFA.

HOW TO SCORE A POINT:

To score a point the die must be tossed above the discussed height and bounce off any part of the opponent's side of the table. If the die is not caught after the die bounces off the table, it's a point. One person tosses at a time per team.

A die can bounce anywhere after it hits the defending team’s side, it could even bounce back towards the side from whence it was tossed. As long as it connects with the defending half of table and falls to the ground, it is a point. To prevent a point, a defensive player must catch the die with ONE hand before it hits the ground. If the player uses both hands to catch a die it is a point for the offensive team.

Once one die is thrown and either caught or dropped and the defending team is ready, the next die is tossed. When die is tossed too low and it only takes one person from the defending team to call height, which generally speaking is a pretty obvious call.

If the die lands short (on the tossing teams’ side of the table) or on the dividing line it is dead and goes to the opposing team. If there is a heated dispute on whether the die landed short or not, it is a re-toss.

SPECIAL EVENTS:

If the die is trapped (i.e., movement of the die is halted by applying pressure with hand or other body part) against the body or any other surrounding object, then it is a point for the tossing team.

Catching a die over the table is only allowed if the die has either hit the offensive players side and is a dead die or it has hit the defensive side and goes off the table and is popped back over the table via a bobble but does not touch the table. If the die falls off the table, is bobbled, and touches any part of the table again, it is a point for the offensive team.

Tink’s: A die that hits the defending sides cup and falls off the table without being caught it 2 points. No points are awarded for tinking off the offensive throwing sides cup on any given play.

Field Goals: if the die lands on the defensive side and bounces back through the offensive sides cups without being caught, this is a "field goal" and results in 2 points for the offense. If the die hits the defending sides cup and bounces back through the offensive sides cups without being caught, this is considered a standard "field goal" or a "tink" resulting in 2 points. You cannot compound points on a "tink to field goal" play.

Sinks: A sink is awarded 3 points and the defending team must kill and fill their beer regardless of the score. A sink can be a direct shot into the cup or a bounce in. The team sunk on now has 3 or 4 points to go (depending on if they play to 9 or 11) before they must kill and fill again. A sink CAN ALSO result from an attempted FIFA from the defence which results in the die landing in the defensive team’s cup. This IS NOT considered a self-sink by the defence, but it is a sink for the offense.

FIFA's:

If both teams decide to play FIFA, then any toss from the offensive team that misses the table can be kicked up by one of the defensive players and caught by the adjacent defensive player. If successfully caught, then a completed FIFA will result in 1 point scored. Each side is allowed three points total to be scored off of FIFA's.

- The die may be kicked by either team a total of three times! Each time Dyeislife DOES NOT condone the use of knees for FIFA's.

- When a defending player kicks a die, by doing so, he/she is keeping the die alive and in play. A FIFA is performed by using the foot or head (and NO other part of the body), a team is (at most) allowed to attempt a FIFA three times in total. Whether that is once by the original Fifa'er and twice by the partner (to himself) or three times by the original Fifa'er to his partner does not matter. In an attempted FIFA the die cannot be caught by the original Fifa'er, it must be caught by their partner.

- If the die is Fifa'd and caught by the other defending player it is a point for their team.

If it lands on the defending tables side, and then falls off the table without being caught, it is a point for the offensive team as the die was put back in play.

-Each team can only gain a total of 3 FIFA's per game.

-If the die hits the defending team's side of the table after being kicked, and is not caught by the partner and hits the floor, the point goes to the tossing team instead.

BLITZ

Each player gets one ‘Blitz’ per game, which allows you to take a free throw at the opponent’s cup after shouting Blitz. It has to be your turn, and can be blocked, so choose the right moment to use it. The result is a kill and fill for the sink, no points awarded.

OTHER RULES (OPTIONAL FROM HERE):

*Spitting 5 After a Sink: if both team agree to the “spit 5’s” rule then after a sink. The player either swallows and spits a die out onto the table or just roles it out of the cup. If that player spits (or rolls) a 5 then he must shotgun a beer or chug a beer out of his glass.

*Bobbles: if both teams decide to play bobbles then the defending team cannot bobble the die at all or bobble it on purpose depending on how you want to play. If the die is bobbled and not caught cleanly then it is a point for the tossing team

*Extreme bobbles: if both teams elect to play extreme bobbles then a defensive player who bobbles a die can be blasted off their feet by an offensive player to prevent them from catching a die.

*Picks: if both teams agree to picks, then you are allowed to set a pick at the cups (not at the mid-line). You cannot shoulder into or move into the defending player in any way. Doing so will result in no points.

*Naked Lap (Naked Mile) or Pizza: if a team is skunked (losses 11 to 0) then they must run around the block completely naked. They can elect to do this or buy the winning team a pizza. If you sink your own cup you must run a naked lap or you automatically lose the game. If you sink your partners cup, then BOTH players on the offense must run a naked lap. There is no option to buy the opposing team a pizza if the event of a self-sink.

RARE CIRCUMSTANCES:

*Bounce out sink and caught: if the offensive team sinks a plastic cup and it bounces out it is automatically a sink, no matter if it is caught, lands on the table, or on the ground. If the cup is glass (regulation) and the die bounces out, the defense is allowed to make a play on the die but ONLY WHEN IT COMES OFF THE TABLE.

*Bounce on tossing teams side but sinks the defending teams cup: no points are awarded, but the player sunk on must kill and fill.

*Bounce on tossing teams side but sinks the offensive teams cup: this is considered a self-sink.

*Bounce on defensive teams side but sinks the offensive teams cup: no points are awarded, but the player sunk on must kill and fill. This IS NOT a self-sink.

Lastly, If you're not sure on a ruling, we're always around to answer any Beer Die